Business Licenses in Japan

Identifying and obtaining the right type of license for your business

Depending on the type of business you are planning to establish or manage you might need an appropriate field-specific license to run your company. Usually, it takes around 2-3 months to obtain a license, but the time may vary for different sectors. That is why applying for your business license in advance is highly advisable.

Starting operation or operating without a license might and most probably will lead to company’s shutdown or severe financial penalties. It also possible that the management might be prohibited from operating in a given sector for several years, or even be legally prosecuted and imprisoned. A company will face the same situation if it changes the registered details or sphere of operation but does not notify the authorities about it within 60 days.

Other duties regarding the licensing include but are not limited to:

filling and submitting annual reports about the company’s activities

keeping its registered details up-to-date in the licensing agencies

renewing the licenses at the regular intervals in accordance with the regulations

Thus, it is always a great idea to consult a legal specialist and confirm if you need a license and of what kind.

Japan has a vast variety of licenses meant for all kinds of operations. It is hardly possible to mention and list all of the categories and subcategories. This guide provides information on the most used types of licenses, where and how to apply for them, and what laws regulate the operations of these businesses.

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